It's Cedar bark. You can get it at any garden and hardware store for a few bucks. Or for free from a unsuspecting neighbor I will try and get some pics of a few of the pieces I have done with it. it looks amazing.

I generally spray paint black and then drybrush on a grey or tan. Worked amazing looks very realistic. Havent tried washing. There may be some problems with liquid swelling the wood. I would think a light or watered down paint would work better than a wash.

My two things are blue foam board and kitty litter.... The board seen here > can be used to make gaming boards, walls, buildings, and when ripped and broken apart it makes good boulders and rocks for your bases to put a great touch on your key minis in your army. When painted it looks great and it does not make the mini heavy or lop sided. Kitty litter also works well for flocking or giving your table top texture.

kturock wrote:kitty litter is poor to use on bases..It's absorbs loads of paint.

As an owner of 2 cats I assure you that there are plenty of kitty litters out there that are not that absorbent! lol

But really. Throw down some elmers or super glue... sprinkle some kitty litter and then prime with your model and your all set. Works for me all the time. I still use some larg stones or wood chips here and there. Some times a head under the foot what ever gets the job done!